Mission report: Emergency Smile in Bulgaria

On the quiet winter coastline of the Black Sea, there are hotels that were once full of holidaymakers. Today, they are home to Ukrainian families who fled the full-scale war and still cannot return.

When our Emergency Smile team visited at the end of October, the surrounding areas were almost completely closed down for the season. No open cafés, no nearby shops, no bustle of life. Just buildings standing against the cold winds, filled with people doing their best to carry on.

Many of these families come from eastern Ukraine. They have been living in these hotels for months or even years. The children have at least the routine of school to hold onto. But for the older people, the days can be long and uneventful. Some told us they hardly leave the building at all.

That is why we came back, after our previous mission in Bulgaria.

Our artists Lucia, Tina and Mario, together with Veronika Kočišová as Head of mission, brought colour, music, silliness and warmth into these quiet spaces. They played, they performed, and yes—at times—there was dancing. Children and adults gathered together, ready for something different to happen that day.

The beauty of clowning is its flexibility. Our Emergency Smile artists adapted each moment to the people in front of them: toddlers eager to jump in, teenagers pretending not to smile (but smiling anyway), children who responded in their own wonderful ways, and older people who often surprised us with their laughter. For a little while, everyone could simply enjoy being present—not as displaced individuals, not as people waiting for news of home—but as human beings sharing joy.

In some places, we learned we were the first artists to visit since residents arrived at the start of the war. It was moving to witness what such a simple thing—a performance, a playful encounter—could mean after so much uncertainty.

The team was able to return to a few locations, giving children the chance to see familiar red noses and build trust. 

They also held a Humour Relief Workshop for the staff of Energy Association, who carry a great deal on their shoulders every day. Laughter can be a release for them, too.

This mission was carried out together with Energy Association and Medical Solidarity. Thanks to their support, our Chaika family (this is how the clows called their trio), could bring moments of light into places where life can feel very dark.

We know that joy will not solve every hardship—but even a single meaningful moment can help someone feel less alone. We hold onto that belief. And we saw it reflected in the smiles, the applause, the gentle thank-yous, and the spark in a child’s eyes when the clown looked their way.

Because even in the hardest times, people deserve laughter.